


Where did everybody go?

by NYWCgirl



Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Kidfic, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26891017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Mac doesn´t cope well without Jack, now that he de-aged.
Series: Whumptober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1946980
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32
Collections: Hurt/Comfort Bingo - Round 11, Whumptober 2020





	Where did everybody go?

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was written to fill the ‘abandonment issues’ square in my H/C Bingo card and is a sequel to "de-aging" It also fills prompt 8 ‘abandoned’ for whumptober

Jack is called into a meeting with the doctors and scientists that are looking into Mac’s case. By the look of their grim faces, that can´t have good news.

‘So, what is the plan? He asks.’

‘Jack, we’ve…’

‘no idea what caused it and you don´t know how to reverse it…’

‘Yeah, that sums it up.’

‘OK, I’m taking Mac home. You can keep looking for a cure but the kid needs to be somewhere he feels safe.’

‘We agree that’s a good idea.’

Jack is silenced for a moment. He expected to have to fight the team on the subject.

‘Well, then, if that is all, I’m taking Mac to his own home, we will be staying there.’

‘OK, we will be in contact.’

* * *

Jack walks back to Mac’s room, but he can tell something is wrong when he enters the ward. He runs to the room, finding Mac, curled up in his bed sobbing. A nurse sits on the foot end of the bed.

‘Good to see you Jack, Mac doesn´t want to be comforted by me.’

‘Hey kid, what’s wrong?’

‘Jack?’ he hiccups.

‘Yeah, who else?’

‘I thought you left.’

‘Ah kid, I will never leave you, come here.’ Jack opens his arms and Mac flings himself in Jack’s arms.

‘I just stepped out to talk to the doctor and he said I could take you home.’

‘Home?’

‘Yes, are you ready to leave the hospital? Are you coming with me?’

Mac nods with big wet eyes.

‘Well, let’s get everything sorted out so we can go home.’

Matty has brought Mac some clothes that should fit and a car seat. Jack isn´t convinced Mac is willing to sit in it, but he doesn´t make a fuss when Jack puts it in the front seat of the Stingray. Mac crawls in it and studies everything when they drive to a supermarket.

‘I thought we were going home?’

‘Yeah, but we need some stuff, so I thought it was best to get it now and then drive home so we don´t have to leave to get some food later.’

Mac nods, clearly it makes sense to him. They enter the mall and Jack tells Mac they will need more clothes and shoes, which makes sense, so Mac is OK with it. But when they are walking towards a store, Mac seems to be glued to Jack. And before Jack knows it, he can feel a hand searching for his. He takes it and gives a light squeeze to let him know everything is OK.

I doesn´t take long to get shoes and clothes, Mac isn´t a fussy kid and likes everything he gets. Next they go to the grocery store. Jack asks what Mac wants to eat, but he tells Jack anything will do. Jack watches Mac as a hawk and every time Mac looks at something, he puts it in the cart. He can tell Mac is wondering how Jack takes all the groceries. When Jack is sure they will be able to get by for a couple of days, they go to the check out. Mac hasn´t left Jack’s side for a second. Jack realizes this can become a problem, but for now, he needs to build trust with the kid. With a back seat full of groceries, they drive to Mac´s home.

* * *

Once Jack opens the front door, Mac walks in and looks at the house in wonder, like he sees it for the first time. It must be strange to see his home from a different angle. He runs to the porch and smiles.

‘We can built a swing here.’ He points at the beams at the deck.

‘We sure can but, but first we will need to eat. What do you want?’

‘I don´t know.’ Mac says, drawing up his shoulders. He just looks too cute.

‘Mac and cheese?’

‘Oh yeah, Mac and cheese will be yummie.’

Jack walks back into the house and Mac follows him, ‘you can stay outside if you want.’

‘Nah, I can help you.’

Jack looks at Mac questionably, as an adult, Mac couldn´t cook to save his life, but maybe if he learns as a kid.

‘OK, here, sit on the bar chair next to the counter. You can cut the cheese,’ the moment he says it, he wonders if it is OK to let Mac handle a knife, but he will let him use a blunt one.

Putting everything in front of the kid, Mac starts working, while Jack puts water on for the pasta. Mac studies everything Jack does. When the Mac and cheese is ready, Jack lifts Mac of the counter and tells him to sit at the table so they can eat.

The kid is hungry, and Jack happily hands out a second portion when Mac stares hungrily at the pan. While he washes the dishes, he tells Mac to turn on the TV so they can watch something when he is done.

‘Why don´t you put on your PJ’s?’

‘Isn´t that strange?’

Jack shakes his head, ‘nah, you will be more comfortable.’

Mac gets up and walks to his room where Jack put all the new clothes on the lowest shelves. He comes back out and crawls on the couch with a blanket. Jack carries two mugs with hot cocoa and little marshmallows and puts them on the table.

‘Careful, they’re hot. What do you want to see.’

‘Discovery channel.’

Jack groans, ‘seriously?’ but there is no heat in it when he switches channels and Mac pics up his mug with two hands and carefully sips until the mug is empty.

With a full belly, Mac slowly sinks lower in the couch and eventually he snuggles up against Jack, who smiles at the gesture. He puts his arm around the small shoulders and pulls Mac closer to him. Jack switches channels and when there is no protest, Jack knows Mac is fast asleep.

It isn´t until later when Jack needs to go to the bathroom and he carefully tries to extract himself from the little octopus that Mac turns out to be, that he hears a soft, ‘don´t leave me.’

Jack looks at the sleepy child and his heart strings are pulled, ‘I’ll never leave you kid. Never.’


End file.
